# allergic reactions to cigar wrapper oil



## trogdor | the burninator (Jan 4, 2007)

anyone here ever experienced an allergic reaction to the oils on a cigar wrapper? recently, i've noticed some irritation to the side of my index finger (the one i use to hold my cigars). then it started getting really really dry. 

as an experiment, i tried smoking with the other hand and i'm starting to see the same initial signs.

man, feels like i'm sayin, "hey folks! i got genital herpes!" 

anyhow, anyone else experience this at some point? nothing life-threatening as far as i can tell, it calms down if i don't smoke...but this just started within the last two months. eczema, contact dermatitis....that's about as much as i've narrowed it down to.


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## nein (Mar 5, 2007)

This is an interesting finding. Unfortunatley I can provide no help towards the situation. The only thing I can think of is try wearing a glove while smoking, someone thin like a latex glove or a leather glove. That way you can smoke and hopefully the irritation calms down.


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## newcigarz (Feb 11, 2007)

nein said:


> The only thing I can think of is try wearing a glove while smoking, someone thin like a latex glove or a leather glove. That way you can smoke and hopefully the irritation calms down.


:tpd: Good idea James, but you might want to consider something like a very thin cotton inspection glove. The latex or leather might affect the aroma or taste of the smoke. :ss


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## trogdor | the burninator (Jan 4, 2007)

newcigarz said:


> :tpd: Good idea James, but you might want to consider something like a very thin cotton inspection glove. The latex or leather might affect the aroma or taste of the smoke. :ss


not only that, but my cigar smoking buddies might wonder if i'm starting to moonlight as an amateur proctologist.

yeah, i'll definitely try wearing a glove or something to limit my contact, i was just curious if anyone else had run into something similar.


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## Mr. White (Dec 4, 2004)

Seems odd that you would have an issue with your fingers, but not your lips?


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## tzaddi (Feb 24, 2007)

Perhaps a custom cigar holder or maybe just smoking cigars with really wide bands thus allowing you to avoid touching the tobacco.

No really, it could be something that you had/have previously gotten on your hands such as a new soap or some such chemical that is reacting to the tobacco oils. :2


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## TMoneYNYY (Oct 6, 2006)

Mr. White said:


> Seems odd that you would have an issue with your fingers, but not your lips?


I'm going to have to agree... you haven't handled much shellfish, dander, pollen, mold, or dust that you may be allergic to in mass-quantities, have you?!?!:ss


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## trogdor | the burninator (Jan 4, 2007)

tzaddi said:


> Perhaps a custom cigar holder or maybe just smoking cigars with really wide bands thus allowing you to avoid touching the tobacco.
> 
> No really, it could be something that you had/have previously gotten on your hands such as a new soap or some such chemical that is reacting to the tobacco oils. :2


i'm thinking this might also be the case. i was tryin to remember if i've switched anything recently and i've changed soaps/hair gel....so when this stuff runs out, we'll see if the issue persists.

for now, i'm gonna rock a nice white cotton glove. you know, like they wear in movies.....old movies....and generally it was a woman wearing it.


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## TMoneYNYY (Oct 6, 2006)

trogdor | the burninator said:


> i'm thinking this might also be the case. i was tryin to remember if i've switched anything recently and i've changed soaps/hair gel....so when this stuff runs out, we'll see if the issue persists.
> 
> for now, i'm gonna rock a nice white cotton glove. you know, like they wear in movies.....old movies....*and generally it was a woman wearing it*.


There's a reason for that...

:tu


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## taltos (Feb 28, 2006)

I know that field hands have experienced allergic reactions and nicotine reactions from handling the raw tobacco leaves and that Sir Winston Churchill experienced allergic reactions on his lips from smoking cigars so I suppose that a contact reaction could occur with your hands. It would be interesting to find if it is one brand that affects you. This could help determine if it is something that a particular manufacturer is doing with the leaf that is causing you to react.


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## trogdor | the burninator (Jan 4, 2007)

TMoneYNYY said:


> There's a reason for that...
> 
> :tu


what? what? cuz it's stylish? no? maybe....sophisticated? :ss


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## TMoneYNYY (Oct 6, 2006)

trogdor | the burninator said:


> what? what? cuz it's stylish? no? maybe....sophisticated? :ss


WE HAVE A WINNER!:tu


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## Mr. White (Dec 4, 2004)

Why don't you try putting some moisturizer on your hands after you smoke and see if that takes care of the problem. Really don't have any other suggestions but it doesn't sound like a general allergy. Sounds like something else is causing it.


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## kjd2121 (Jul 13, 2006)

Sounds to me Peter like you are trying to blame the cigars instead of the real truth of your physical contact. 

Remember that you could go blind!!

:r:r:r

Maybe I should hold this package for a while so you can heal correctly - :r


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## Twill413 (Jul 19, 2006)

trogdor | the burninator said:


> for now, i'm gonna rock a nice white cotton glove.


So you look like Michael Jackson with the one white glove on?


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## nein (Mar 5, 2007)

You could always wear two gloves to even everything out. However it still doesnt fix the fact you have to explain to your buddies why your wearing gloves in the summer. :ss


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## tzaddi (Feb 24, 2007)

taltos said:


> I know that field hands have experienced allergic reactions and nicotine reactions from handling the raw tobacco leaves and that Sir Winston Churchill experienced allergic reactions on his lips from smoking cigars so I suppose that a contact reaction could occur with your hands. It would be interesting to find if it is one brand that affects you. This could help determine if it is something that a particular manufacturer is doing with the leaf that is causing you to react.


Here is the part where I get to interject some cigar trivia...thanks Taltos



> The fact was that Churchill practically never parted from his cigar. He lit his first cigar over coffee after breakfast, and left his last cigar in the ashtray as he switched off the light in his bedroom. Sir Winston could smoke up to twenty cigars a day - and they weren't small cigars either! Obviously, he derived not only an enormous amount of pleasure from this, but also an enormous number of problems. For example, Churchill suffered from permanent irritation of the lips, brought on by the oils and tars contained in the outer 'wrapper' leaves. This is a pleasant taste, and when you smoke two or three cigars a day, it doesn't last long. But if you practically never take the cigar out of your mouth, it can cause severe irritation.


This little factoid was brought to you by Cigar Clan Magazine, a Russian publication, translated into English of course.

Now back to our regularly scheduled thread.


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## kjd2121 (Jul 13, 2006)

Just put a bandaid or a small piece of tape on your finger.


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## smokinpoke (Apr 8, 2006)

I am a bit of a simpleton I guess...Switch off hands.


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## Puffin Fresh (Nov 1, 2006)

Any allergy can turn serious, especially if the allergen is being put in your mouth. That being said, it's unlikely this will become a huge problem. It'll probably be more of an annoying occurance. (I'm not a doctor, but I did stay at a Holid...)

Anyway, I'm allergic to bananas, they make my ears itch. I still eat them at times, as I've never had an allergic reaction (meaning big reaction) to anything, but I do that knowing full well someday I could be in trouble from a banana.

Man, a gorilla allergic to bananas... sucks to be me. :r


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## KASR (Aug 2, 2006)

Ewww..you've got cigar-herpes!


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## trogdor | the burninator (Jan 4, 2007)

kjd2121 said:


> Sounds to me Peter like you are trying to blame the cigars instead of the real truth of your physical contact.
> 
> Remember that you could go blind!!
> 
> ...


you're a naughty boy, kevin, naughty naughty boy. you're giving me new ideas as to what to do with my new gloves....(i.e. spank monkeys...i mean gorillas)


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## burninator (Jul 11, 2006)

Have you considered that maybe the heat from the cigar is just drying the skin on your index finger? Or maybe the wrapper leaves are absorbing a bit of the oils from your skin, which leaves it a bit irritated. It could also be that you are chafing the skin of your index finger by holding the cigar in a certain way or by rolling it between the fingers between puffs.


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## ChurchDog (Jan 9, 2007)

Apply a small amount of unscented, hypo-allergenic lotion to your fingers prior to lighting up. This will help combat the dry irritation you are encountering.

If this doesn't help I suggest enlisting the aid of some of your forum brothers in helping you chop off the offending hand and attaching a metallic claw that will not be affected by the cigar oils. Then...back to your regularly scheduled cigar! :ss


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## theycallmedan'lboone (Feb 22, 2007)

Trogdor, I asked my medic and the Doc, they said it's a distinct possibility, but unlikely beacuse you haven't gotten this rash on your lips...


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## Archer82 (Apr 11, 2007)

I have had problems like that before with other things, like cutting habenaros and jalapenos the oil soaks into the skin if you dont wear gloves, then handling other things with oil can cause reactions and other effects on the skin, so if you are handling anything on that could cause a adverse reaction prior to smoking make sure you wear gloves when handling.

Archer82 :ss


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## kjd2121 (Jul 13, 2006)

burninator said:


> Have you considered that maybe the heat from the cigar is just drying the skin on your index finger? Or maybe the wrapper leaves are absorbing a bit of the oils from your skin, which leaves it a bit irritated. It could also be that you are chafing the skin of your index finger by holding the cigar in a certain way or by rolling it between the fingers between puffs.


Jason, why do you always feel the need to give useless comments to such a serious subject. Stop messing around all the time man.


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## burninator (Jul 11, 2006)

kjd2121 said:


> Jason, why do you always feel the need to give useless comments to such a serious subject. Stop messing around all the time man.


Sorry....:hn

It's probably cigar herpes!


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## piperman (Sep 8, 2005)

Roach clips


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## trogdor | the burninator (Jan 4, 2007)

burninator said:


> Sorry....:hn
> 
> It's probably cigar herpes!


thanks, jason. this brings warmth to my heart.


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## Even Steven (Dec 15, 2006)

I guess you can't roll cigars with your body like how they do on youtube then eh?


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## burninator (Jul 11, 2006)

trogdor | the burninator said:


> thanks, jason. this brings warmth to my heart.


Glad I could help.


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